The USL Premier Development League (commonly known as the PDL) is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid. It is currently the top-level men's amateur soccer competition in the United States, and has 73 teams competing in four conferences, split into nine regional divisions; unofficially, it is considered to be the fourth tier of competition, behind Major League Soccer, the North American Soccer League and the USL Professional Division, and roughly equal with the National Premier Soccer League.

While not strictly a "professional" league in the sense that the majority of players do not receive payment, the PDL prides itself on its professionalism in terms of its organization and the way the league is run, and its dedication to developing young soccer players, preparing them for future careers in professional leagues in the United States and elsewhere. As PDL seasons take place during the summer months, the player pool is drawn mainly from elite NCAA college soccer players seeking to continue playing high-level soccer during their summer break, which they can do while still maintaining their college eligibility.

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is a United States soccer league commonly recognized as being a fourth tier league. It is the successor of the Men's Professional Soccer League, a regional league originally based out of the Western United States, which has now expanded nationwide to encompass teams from 19 states.

Although the league is officially affiliated to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), and qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup through USASA channels, the league is generally considered to be at the fourth tier of competition in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer (MLS), the North American Soccer League (NASL) and the United Soccer Leagues Professional Division (USL Pro), and roughly equal with the USL Premier Development League (PDL).

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL released its 2014 alignment and schedule today, with the 448-game regular season getting underway on Saturday, May 3. Among the exciting developments for the PDL in 2014 is the addition of a pair of MLS-affiliated clubs.

A total of eight new teams have joined the PDL for 2014, with the Montreal Impact U23 and San Jose Earthquakes of MLS leading the trend of professional clubs placing teams in the PDL. A pair of USL PRO clubs also have added to their developmental structure for 2014, with the Cincinnati Dutch Lions (Dayton Dutch Lions) and Pittsburgh Riverhounds U23 also making their debuts.

YouTube Live will serve as the official video platform for the PDL in 2014. Live games from throughout the league as well as team highlights and weekly league videos will provide fans a front row seat during the season. Select games will be available live for fans to view for free on the largest global video sharing site. Some of the features YouTube Live will present to fans during live games include DVR, chat, full HD support, and social media interactivity. Fans are encouraged to subscribe for free to the team-specific YouTube channels. Please visit http://www.uslsoccer.com/connect for links to team accounts.

NPSL Membership NPSL is made up of four REGIONS and each region has multiple CONFERENCES (listed below). With over 80 members, the NPSL is the largest national soccer league in the US Soccer Pyramid and the fastest growing national sports league with 30 expansion teams approved for the 2014 NPSL season. NOTE: Teams play in local CONFERENCES (not Divisions) that make up their respective REGION.

2013 NPSL National Playoffs

South Region Champion: RVA FC (Richmond, VA), representing the South Region, won the NPSL National Championship in front of over 1,500 fans at Sports Backer Stadium.

PDL PreviewEastern ConferenceOcean City returns a strong squad to defend its crown

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – The biggest conference in the PDL, the Eastern Conference has seen realignment this season with new additions to the Northeast and Mid Atlantic Divisions. The Ocean City Nor’easters return as defending conference champions, while eight of the conference’s teams will compete in this season’s U.S. Open Cup.

PDL Preview: Central ConferenceThunder Bay will look to ward off new threats to its crown

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL's Central Conference has been the domain of a handful of sides in the past few seasons, with Thunder Bay emerging last season from a tough conference championship weekend against 2012 champion FC London and perennial contender the Michigan Bucks. With a new season comes new alignment, however, and potential new challengers for the playoff positions.

TAMPA, Fla. – The Austin Aztex became the first Southern Conference side to claim the PDL Championship since the Laredo Heat in 2007 last season. The defending champions will have some adjustments to make after the departure of PDL Coach of the Year Paul Dalglish to Real Salt Lake and league MVP Kris Tyrpak to Chivas USA, and the competition will be hot on their heels looking to grab their conference title.

PDL Preview: Western ConferenceA new division and new teams highlight the West in 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL’s Western Conference has a new look for the new season, with a third division added and a number of teams set to make their debut. The Victoria Highlanders FC claimed the conference title for the first time last season, but will again face a strong test from the rest of the Northwest Division, while the Fresno Fuego will look to remain on top of the Southwest.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Today, FC Tucson, in partnership with Albuquerque Sol FC, announced the creation of "The Southwestern Showdown," a yearly trophy competition between the two Mountain Division clubs. The winner of "The Southwestern Showdown" will get to keep "The Golden Rattler" for an entire year. This year's three-match series will take place on June 6 and 7 in Albuquerque and on July 4 in Tucson.

"We can't wait to begin this rivalry with Albuquerque Sol FC. Arizona and New Mexico have a tremendous history and its an honor to play for the pride and honor of our state, our city, our team and our fans," said FC Tucson Chief Business Officer Chris Keeney. "The Sol and their fans have already demonstrated a passion and love for the game that rivals what we have here at FC Tucson and we expect that the Southwestern Showdown will be a great annual tradition. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing our team present the Golden Rattler to our fans on July 4th."

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